Aquatic insects in subtropical streams: the role of different grassland ecosystems and local environmental descriptors.

Organisms can respond to environmental gradients from local to landscape features. Aquatic insects are particularly affected by watershed peculiarities due to their dependence on microhabitat conditions. However, these relationships are poorly understood in lotic ecosystems of subtropical grasslands, limiting water resources management and bioassessment proposals.

Disentangling the veil line for Brazilian biodiversity: An overview from two long-term research programs reveals huge gaps in ecological data reporting.

The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them.

Responses of riffle beetle assemblages to deforestation in a semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest remnant.

Deforestation affects freshwater assemblages since aquatic organisms are dependent on the structure of the riparian vegetation. To investigate the responses of riffle beetles (Elmidae) to deforestation, this study assessed the structure of riffle beetle assemblages found in streams running through a large and well-preserved semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest remnant in Southern Brazil and in nearby deforested areas. Additionally, the effects of different substrate types (litter and stone) on the assemblages were assessed.

Diversity and spatiotemporal distribution of larval odonate assemblages in temperate neotropical farm ponds.

Farm ponds help maintain diversity in altered landscapes. However, studies on the features that drive this type of property in the Neotropics are still lacking, especially for the insect fauna. We analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of odonate larval assemblages in farm ponds.

The influence of natural and anthropic environmental variables on the structure and spatial distribution along longitudinal gradient of macroinvertebrate communities in southern Brazilian streams.

Southern Brazilian rivers and streams have been intensively affected by human activities, especially agriculture and the release of untreated domestic sewage. However, data about the aquatic macroinvertebrates in these streams are scarce and limited to only certain groups. In addition, studies focusing on the structure and spatial distribution of these communities are lacking.

Spatial and temporal distribution of non-biting midge larvae assemblages in streams in a mountainous region in southern Brazil.

The spatial and temporal structure of non-biting midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae assemblages and some environmental factors that affect their distribution were analyzed in a montane river and its tributaries in a temperate climate region of southernmost Brazil. In total, 69 taxa were recorded after four seasonal samplings (winter, spring, summer, and autumn). The dominant taxa were Rheotanytarsus sp.

Diversity of non-biting midge larvae assemblages in the Jacuí River basin, Brazil.

The richness and composition of a mountain-river chironomid larvae assemblage in the Jacuí River basin, Brazil were studied, and compared with other riverine non-biting midge larvae assemblages previously studied in the country. Additionally, the influence of some regional-scale environmental characteristics on the spatial distribution of these assemblages was tested. The specimens were collected at 12 sites in the middle course of the Jacuí River basin (in the state of Rio Grande do Sul) between April 2000 and May 2002.